Refrigeration



c. c. SPREEN REFRIGERATION Sept. 10, 1929.

Filed .Feb. 24, 1927 mm w w wm Vi. a

Patented Sept. 10, 1929. 1,727,946

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. SPREEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO KELVINATOR CORPORA- TION, OI" DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF-MICHIGA1L REFRIGERATION.

Application filed February 24, 1927. Serial 1W0. 110,554.

My invention relates to refrigeration, and temperature of such air is normally low particularly to providing means for preventenough to cause condensation of its moisture mg the accumulation of frost on the refrigbut not low enough to cause such moisture to erant expansion unit of mechanical refrigbe deposited'as frost. Consequently, when 5 crating apparatus, and the principal object the circulatory air, which has been warmed 55 of my invention is to provide new and imduring its passage through the refrigerated proved means of this type. In the drawings compartment and as a result thereof has-beaccompanying this specification and forming come laden with moisture, strikes the chilled apart of this application I have shown, for surface of the flue 16 the temperature of such purposes of illustration, one form which my airis decreased and the accumulated moisture 60 invention may assume, and in these drawis deposited on the surface of the flue 16 so ings: that when such air passes through the aper- Figure 1 is a front elevation of this emboditures 17, or from the mouth 18 of the flue, ment of my invention, while into the space surrounding the refrigerating Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2of unit 13 it is in a practically dry condition 65 Figure 1. whereby there. is but little or no deposition The embodiment of my invention herein of moisture upon the refrigerating unit 13 shown is desi ed to be placed in the refrigand by reason thereof but slight deposition crating cham er 11 of a refrigerator cabinet of frost upon the unit 13. 5

2O 12 having a refrigerating unit comprising a From the above disclosure it will be obbrine tank 13, refrigerant expansion coils Vious to those skilled in the art that I have (not shown), an expander valve I4, and a provided new and improved means for prethermostat 15. venting the accumulation of frost on the re- It is well known to those skilled in the art frigerant expansion unit of mechanical. re-

that during the operation of a refrigerating fri crating apparatus.

unit of this type frost readily accumulates t the same time it also will be obvious to on the exterior surface of the unit, that this those skilled in the art that the embodiment accumulation of frost continually decreases of my invention herein shown and described the absorption of heat from the refrigerator may be variously changed and modified With- 3 cabinet through the refrigerating unit, and out departing from the spirit of my invenso that periodic defrosting of the refrigerating tion or sacrificing the advantages thereof,

unit is ordinarily required. and it therefore will be understood that the V In order to lengthen the period during disclosure" herein is illustrative only, and which a refrigerating unit will operate withthat my invention is not limited thereto.

out defrosting, or perhaps to eliminate en- I Claim: 5 tirely the need of defrosting, and in order to 1. In combination with a refrigerator cabigreatly increase at all times the rate of heat net having an interior wall forming a refrigabsorption from the refrigerator cabinet to crating chamber and a food storage chamber, the refrigerating unit, I have provided a flue said wall being provided with apertures to 40 16apertured at 17 and positioned in the path ermit air circulation between said cham- 90 of the circulatory air of the cabinet in a man- 91's; of means for collecting moisture from net to necessitate passage of such air through the air entering the refrigerating chamber the flue 16 prior to contacting with the reprior to free circulation therein. frigerating unit 13. 2. In combination with a refrigerator cabi- The flue 16 is composed of a material havnot having an interior wall formmg a refrig- 95 ing a high heat conductivity which causes crating chamber adapted to contain a meit to continually present to the circulatory chanical' cooling unit and a food storage air of the cabinet a surface chilled to approxichamber, said wall being provided with apermately the temperature of the air between tures to permit air circulation between said the refrigerating unit and the flue 16. The chambers; of means for' confining the initial 1 v flow of air entering said refrigerating chamber in a single path isolated from the remainder of the'chamber, said means being formed of heat conducting material and-arranged in heat exchange relation with said cooling unit.

3. In combination with a refrigerator cabinet having an interior wall forming a refrigerating chamber adapted to contain a mechanical cooling unit and a food storage chamber, said wall being provided with apertures to permit air circulation between said chambers; of means formed of heat conducting material for confining the initial flow of air entering said refrigerating chamber in a single path isolated from the remainder of v the chamber, said means being arranged in heat exchange relation with the cooling unit and formed to collect moisture from the air prior to its free circulation in said chamber. 4. In combination with a refrigerator cabinet having an interior wall forming a refrigerating chamber adapted to contain a cooling unit and a food storage chamber,. said wall being provided with apertures to permit air circulation between said chambers; of a flue formed of heat conductmg material for confining the initial flow of air entering said chamber in a path along the partition wall of said cabinet, said flue being arranged in heat exchange relation with the cooling unit and provided with apertures permitting lateral escape of air into said chamber.

5. In combination with a refrigerator cabinet having an interior wall forming a refrigerating chamber adapted to contain a mechanical cooling unit and a food storage chamber, said wall being provided with apertures to permit air circulation between said chambers; of a fine formed of heat conducting material extending downwardly from the upper aperture and opening adjacent the bottom of said refrigerating chamber, said flue being arranged in heat exchange relation with the cooling unit and having laterally extendthere rominto said refrigerating chamber.

6. In combination with a refrigerator cabinet having an interior Wall'forming a chamber for receiving a cooling unit and a cham-' her for storing food, said wall being formed to permit circulation "of 'airbetweensaid chambers of means in said cabinet for removing moisture from the circulatory air prior to its contact with said cooling unit.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto afiix my.

signature.

CHARLES C. SPREEN.

ing openings therein to permit escape of air 

